Hood control for motor cars



Nov. .2, 1943. A. CLAUD-MANTLE 2,333,466

HOOD CONTROL FOR MOTOR CARS Filed March 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 2, 1943.

A. CLAUD-MANTLE HOOD CONTROL FOR MOTOR CARS Filed March 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 2, 1943. A. CLAUD-MANTLE H001: CONTROL FOR MOTOR CARS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 6, 1941 Nov. 2, 1943. A. CLAUD-MANTLE HOOD CONTROL FQR MOTOR CARS Filed March 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOOD CONTROL FOR. MOTOR CARS Arthur Gland-Mantle, Trumbull, Conn, assignor to The Bassick Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a

corporation of Connecticut 1 Application March 6, 1941, Serial No. 381,983

18 Claims. (01. 292 '11) This invention relates to hood control devices for motor cars, and although notlimited in that respectin all aspects of the invention, it has particular reference to hoods of the lid type which are liftable from the front end of the car, there being mechanism concealed within the hood for latching it in the closed position, and there being mechanism operable from the drivers seat whereby the hood can be released preparatory to being opened up by the filling station attendant;

' One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved and simplified deviceof this general type.

Another object is to provide means of an effective and satisfactory character whereby the fact that the hood latch has been released by the car driver, through the manipulation of means accessible within the car, will be indicated to the at tendant, so that he will know'that service such as checking the oil or filling-the radiator is desired.

Another purpose which I have in view is the provision of improved hood latching means manipulable fromthe interior of the car. I To these and other endstheinvention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to'be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figgl is a side elevation partly in section and with certain parts broken away, showing the hood latch and the means for controlling the same from the car interior, the hood being in the closed and latched position; V

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing a portion of the lower or fixed supporting plate and its associated parts; f

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

7 Fig.4 is an enlarged sectional View of certain parts shown in Fig. 1, showing the rocking rod swung to a position in which it releases the keeper and shifts the swinging catch and. indicator device 7 g I Fig. 5, is a view similar to Fig.4 showing how the catch acts as a safety device,.limiting'the upward swing of the hood; 5

Fig. 6 is a sectional View showing a modified form of the device, the hood being inclosed position;

[Figs 7 and 8 are sections on lines'il and 88, respectively of Fig. 6; I

Fig. 9 is a view similar-to Fig. 6 showing the hood lifted to a slight extent,- and Figs.- 10 and 11 are, respectivelygsections on" line I 0 of Fig. 'Tand line I l-l I ofFig. 10.

p In the drawings I have shownjfor. illustrative purposes a hood' control device in which the hood proper is of the lid type and is liftable from the front end of the'car, this hood being equipped with a latching member in the form of a, keeper depending fromwan upper plate carriedby the hood. The lower fixed part of the hood structure'o'r enclosure is provided'with' asta'tionary plate 'and upon this'plate'is mounted a detent or holding-member movable toengage or'to re lease the keeper; the movement of the detent being effected from the driver's seat through the manipulationof a suitable device such asan oper-. ating' lever in convenient position near the driver. Means are alsoprovided for limiting the upward swing of the hood and maintaining it under con trol after the hoodlatch hasbeenreleased from the-remotely situated operating device, eitherrintentionallyor otherwise. Also, in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, I have provided a visual indicating device which is shiftable' automatically as the hood latch -isreleased, so as-to indicate to the attendant, as abovementioned, that service is desired. 1 5 1 r In the drawings," the lower or fixed part-of the hood enclosure or casing is shown-at mend the hood or'lid is shown at? l Within thelow'er casing is a fixed plate ZZQandQWithin' the hood and liftable-therewith is an upper plate 23; The upper plate carries-a depending-keeper member 24 which, as-thehood-isclosed, is moved downwardly into cooperation with the lower plate, and mounted on the lower plate is a detent or-holding member iiwhichlin one positionshas such cooperation with. keeper 2 3. as to. hold the hood in the closed position. :The detent device-'25, is

operable from a remote point, for exampla ga point adjacent thedrivers seat, by suitable means such as anoperatinglever 26 connectedto ,detent device 25 by means such as; a .cable 2?: Associated Withgthe detent member 25 is a swinging member 28-adapted to act as a safety. catch; in the manner hereinafter described. In this particular form a1so,that is; the form of Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, an indicating member for signalling the attendant is employed a nd in this particular instance the indicator is constituted by anarm 29 located at the front endof the hood connected to the catch member 2 8.; g 1 N Referring now to the details, it will be seen that the lower plate22 extends across the' lower casing memb r 9 a t er p t her q i om wha below h r mar in; 9f i m be vTh tru r. P a e e e ds. a r s v he; o 1; a region somewhat above the lower margin of the shown, the keeper is provided with a threaded shank 38 extending upwardly through a hole in the upper plate. This shank engages a threaded socket member 3| associated with the upper face of the plate, and at the lower face of theplatea lock nut 32 is employed. l v I At its lower part the keeper 2 is provided with a flattened portion in the nature of a blade bent to give it a hook-shaped formation. The hook of the keeper is disposed in a substantially vertical plane and extends forwardly so that the free extremity is at the front, and this extremity is preferably formed as a squared-oil edge portion- 33. In the closed position of the hood this squared off extremity 33 lies at anangle to a horizontal plane, as shown in Fig. 4, atom this position it is'adapt'ed to cooperate with a portion of the detent device in the manner hereinafter described.

In order to guide the keeper head to the position shown iii-Fig. 4, the lower plate is provided with. upstanding lips" 34, preferably having the formation shown in Fig. 3, and presenting upper downwardly converging centering and guiding portions 35, and lower cheek portions 36 between which in the closed position the lowerpart of the keeper is closely confined The lips can be secured to the lower plate by means such as e ,7 .7

The detent device 25 is preferably in the'form of a rod 38 rockably mounted on the upper surface of plate 22, and having an intermediate swinging crank portion 39 adapted to extend over the free end of the keeper in order to hold the ho n. t e cl s os p It w l b se n th the rod 3 8extends longitudinally of plate 22 at the upper surface thereof, and has adjacent the end portions rocking bearings provided by means such as theclips 48. At one end the rod is bent down and passes through aslot M in the plate, and the rod extremityor depending arm portion 42 has connected to it one end of a helical spring 43, the opposite end of saidspring being .connected to the rear flange 22? of the plate. Normally this spring 43 holds the'rod 38 in the position of Fig. 4. ,1. At the opposite end ofthe rod 38 the same is provided with an upwardly bent arm 44, and to the extremity of this arm the cable 27 is con-- nected The rear end of the cable 21 is connected to a link. slidingthrough a partition 48 between the engine space and the interior of the car. At a point within the car the link 45 has a downwardly turned end 41 connected by a pivot 48 to an arm 49 projecting rearwardly fromlever 26. .The lever 26 is pivoted intermediate of its ends on a pivot 50, and the arm 49 is to the rear of this pivot. In theclosed position of the hood the pivot 48 is located slightly below pivot 50 so that byan action-in the nature of a toggle action the cable 21-is held fill? position in which the crank portion 39 of lever 38 lies over and against the free end of the keeper, in opposition to the action of spring 4 3. 7

Although it is not necessary that the safety catch member 28-an-d the signal arm 29 be part of the same structure I have shown for illustrative j the front part of the hood. Adjacent the point where the two arms of the lever come together,

the lever has laterally spaced cheeks 52, best shown in Fig. 3', and through these cheeks passes a pin 53' by means of which the lever is mounted to swing in a; vertical plane. The pivot pin 53 passes through lugs 54 formed in a die casting 55 that may be applied to the hood as an ornamental feature, and this casting may have a portion 56 creating a slot in which the arm 29 in one of its positions maybe disposed. The slot like opening for the arm 29 maybe bounded to an extent by a part 51 at the lower end of member 55.

A. helical spring- 58 hooked at one end in ahole 59 in arm 28 has its-opposite end hooked to the rear flange 59 of the upper plate. This spring 58 normally holds the lever 28, 29 in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the arm 29 in its head recess.

Inorder that arm 28' may act as a safety catch to prevent more than limited lifting of the hood except when it is the intention to raise the hood, this arm is caused to cooperate with a portion of the detent rod, and in the particular form shown the arm 28 is provided at the lower rear part with an inclined notch 6| adapted to be engaged by the crank portion 39. -When the hood is in the closed position this notch BI is located close to and in front of the connecting portion of the crank part of the rod. 7

Assuming that the parts are in the closed and latched position shown in Fig. 1, and it is desired, say, to have the motor oil checked, the driver manipulatesthe lever 26 from the position hown in full lines in Fig. l to the position shown in dotted lines. By this movement the cable 2! is released, and. the detent device 25 permitted to swingon its rocking axis under the influence of spring dB. This causes the crank portion of the rod to be moved forwardly from its position over the end of the hook-shaped keeper to a keeper releasing position such as shown in Fig. 4, and in moving to this position the rod engages the lever 28, 29 and shifts it to the position shown in Fig, 4, in which position arm 29 is raised upwardlyout of its seat to a projecting position, being held in that position by the rod against the action of spring 53. l'he projecting position of arm 29 wili indicate to the attendant that service is desired, and the attendant can then by grasping the arm 29, which is in a forwardly projecting position, readily raise the hood to its fully open position, leaving the detent rod in the position shown in Fig. l, in which position it is held by engagement .of rod extremity '42 with. one end of slot 41.,

When the'det ent has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 4, by intention or otherwise,

the arm 28 acts as a safety device. If, for ex ample, there is a tendency for a gust'of wind to raise the hood, its upward movement'will cause the notch 6| to engage the-crank portion of the rod in the manner shown in full lines in Fig. :5. The safety catc'hgc'an, however, be readily re-.-

leased from the exterior of dancer, withoutthe need of insertingthe hand between the hood and the lower casing because the arm 29 is readily available for manipulation from the exterior.

When thehood isclosed again-'from'the fully opened position, the hook-shaped end of the keeper enters'between the guiding lips of the lower plate, and the lever'26 is manipulated, so as to swing the, detent rod to the latching position;in which position it is-held by the overcenter position lever 26. This latching operation takes place in opposition; to the action of spring 43, which is thereby energized.

The described construction is very simple and compact and can be inexpensively manufactured, and yet it is very effective in its functioning and provides means for controlling in an effective and convenient way the latching and unlatching of the hood and the checking of the hood against inadvertent opening. Furthermore, the indicator or' signalling device for signalling the station attendant provides a very desirable feature, fa-

cilitating the servicing of thecar, In this particular case also the movable indicator device permits manipulation of the safety catch from the exterior of the hood. Yet, notwithstanding these desirable features, the cost of the device is low.

In the form shown in Figs. 6 to 11, inclusive, there is a remote control of the hood-latching means generally similar'to that previously described. In this case, also, a device such as the lever 26, previously described, is used in the operation of latching and releasing the hood. The safety catch, however, is different, and the indieating or signalling feature is omitted.

In this alternative form the lower plate is shown at B2 and the upper plate at 63, The upper plate carries a depending keeper, but this keeper is of somewhat different form from the one previously described. "It has a shank'64 ad- J'ustably held in place by nuts 65 and'66. The head 61 of the keeper is flattened and of knifeblade: formation and has a lower forwardly directed'extension 68 presenting an upwardly facing shoulder 69. This shoulder is adapted to be engaged by a swinging detent,- which in this particular case is generally in the form of a rockable crescent-shaped plate '19, as shown in Fig. 10. This crescent-shaped or angular plate 70 has a slot ll therein by means of which it is mounted non-rotatably on a portion 12 of a'rocking rod or shaft 13. At one end a rivet l4 clinches the plate to this shaft. The shaft 13 1s arranged beneath plate 62 and-directed generally lengthwise thereof, and adjacent one-end has a bearing 15 carried by a sheet metal structurelli that acts to center and guide the keeper head 61, for'which purpose the structure 16 has upwardly projecting lips' l'l. Adjacent the opposite end of shaft 13 the same has a bearing in a bracket member; which may be welded to the under surface-of plate..62 Atits extremity, adjacent bearing plate l8, shaft or rod-I3 is turned upwardly, as shown in Fig. 8, to provide an arm 79,- which extends upwardly through a'slot in plate 62. Thi's arm l9fhas its upper extremity 80 connectedto 'a cable 8l-which is similar to cable 21 previously described,'and is controlled in the same manner, or in a similar manner, such that when the cable is heldin the rearward position, as indicated in Fig. 6,thekeeper will be engaged and held by the plate-like detent 19. In this position, the upper 82- of thedetent, which is provided with'; a, straight lower edge 83; has said edge engagedover the upper edge of theextension 58, as shown inFi 10. a

The? detent plate is normally held in the position shown in Fig; 9 bymeans such as a, coil spri1ig 84 coiled about shaft 13 between theshaft bearings, one end of'this' spring being engaged with a stationary part of thelowersupporting adapted in one position to engage the lower edge of the keeper Head; as indicated lines in Fig-9.

The safety device-forpreventing-full upward movement of the hood at time and under cir# cumstances when that is not desired, may take the form of a catch lever '89, pivoted to the front edge portion of the lower plate, as'indicated at 90, and having an upper hooked end 9| adapted to hook over a flange 92 at the front edge of the upper plate. In association with this safety catch or lever i a spring 93 normally holding the hook in cooperation with the upper plate. However, after the hood has been slightly raised, the operator can insert his hand to engage a pad 94 at the lower end of the safety catchfor the purpose of swinging the catch to the inoperative position. This construction of safety catchis; however, shown only by way of example;

Assuming that the hood is in the closed position, as shown in Fig; 6, and that it is desired'to open the same, the driver manipulates his operating lever, similar to lever 26 previously described, so as to'release the cable 8|. The detent shaft or rod 13 is then free to shift to the position shown in Fig. 9 under the influence of it controlling spring 84. This spring moves the detent by the dotted plate 10 in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. 9, and the upper part of the detent plate is, therefore, moved to disengage and release the keeper. As the detent plate is'moved in this way,its lower arm 87 is moved so that its rounded end portion 88 engages the lower end of the keeper, and therefore the keeper is moved up to the position'shown in Fig, 9, carrying with it the hood and its associated parts. Thus the hood is opened to the position shown in Fig. 9, in which position the operator has sufficient access to the safety catch 89 to manipulate the same.

In rotating counter-clockwise to the position shown in Fig. 9, the detent plate is arrested in the position shown in Fig. 9 by the engagement of the-arm 82 with a part of the lower plate (Fig. 10) In the position shown in Fig. 9, where the hood has been opened to a slight extent by j spring action on the lower end of the keeper, and

where the keeper'rests in a yielding manner on an arm off the detent, thelower edge of the keeper head'is slightly below the plane of the plate 62, but-variation may be made in this and other respects.

It will be understood that when the hood is moved from the fully opened position to the closed positiomthe keeper head will be forced down between the lips H and forced home, and this will cause the-detent plate to be swung in a clockwise directionto a certain extent (Fig. 9). The detent" rod, by being rocked by a rearward pull on the cable 8|, can be caused to engage the detent plate with the keeper to latch the hood, and if the keeper isnotforced home the upper arm of the detent plate will engage it to force it I do not claim broadly herein the combination in a hood control device of a depending fixed latching member carriedby an upper hood member and provided with .a' lower latching head, a-

swinging detent member, carriedby the lower fixed part of theengine enclosure and adapted to extend over said latching head to latch the hood, a spring urging said detent member toward latching head releasing position, and means including an operating lever movable to an overr center position for moving the detent member- 1. In a hood control device; the combination of a lower casing part, a liftable hood, plates carried by the casing part and hood respectively, the hood plate having a depending keeper, a rocking rod carried by the lower plate having a portion adapted to overlie apart of the keeper to hold the hood in the closed position, and a safety catch member'movably carried by the hood and with which said rocking rod cooperates to limit the opening of the hood, p

2. In a hood control device, the combination of alower casing part, a liftable hood, plates carried by the casing part and hood respectively, the hood plate havinga depending keeper, a rocking rod carried by the lower plate having a portion adapted to overlie a part of the keeper to hold the hood in the closed position, and a safetyeatch member .swingingly carried by the hood and with which said rocking rod cooperates to limit the opening of the hood, said safety catch member having a notch adapted to receive aportion of said rocking rod.

3. In a hood control device, the combination of a lower casing part, a liftable hood, platescarried by the casing part and-hood respectively, the hood plate having .a depending keeper, a rocking rod carried by the lower plate haying a portion adapted to overlie a part .Of the keeper to hold the hood in the closed position, and a safety catch member carried by the hood and with which said rocking rod cooperates to limit the opening of the hood, said safety catch memher having a notch adapted to receive a portion of said rocking rod, said safety catch member also having an exteriorly proiectible part movabletby the rocking rod to act as a signal. r

4. In ahood control device, a fixed casing part, a liftable hood, supporting plates carriedrespectively by said parts,.the hood platehaving -a depending keeper, :3. remotely operable detent carried by the other plate adapted to engage and hold the keeper, means.normallyholding the detent in keeper releasingposition, and a pivoted safety catch member adapted to cooperate with the .detent when the keeper is released.

.5. In a hood-control device,,a fixed casing part,

a lifta'ble hood, supporting plates carried respec-- tively .by .said parts, the hood plate having a depending ikeeper, a remotely operable ,detent ,carried by the other plate adapted to engage and hold the keeper,means normally holding the de tent in keeper releasing position, a pivoted Safety catchimcmber adapted to cooperate with the de= tent, when the keeper s re ease and a te ior? y'v'isibl' sienalm'em moving with the sa e y catch: member.

6. Ina hood control device, a fixed casing part, a liftable hood, supporting plates carried respec-, tively, by said parts, the hood plate having a de, pending'keeper, a remotely operable detent carried by the other plate adapted to engage and hold the keeper, means normally holding the dee tent-in'keep r releasing position, a pivoted safety catch member adapted to cooperate with the de tent when the keeper is. released, and an exteriorly visible ignalmember moving with the safety catch member, the detent 'When released being operable to shift the safety catch member and move the signal member.

7. In a hood control device for motor cars in which a liftable hood member carries a fixed depending keeper having a lower latchin head and,

a swinging detent adapted to extend over said lower fixedpart of the engine enclosure, a swinging detent movable to overlie the latching head, a spring urging saiddetent member toward hood? releasing position, a movable signal carried by the hood having, an externally projectible part to signal the release of the hood, said detent momv ber including apart serving to operate said signal as the hood is released, and means operable from a distance for overcoming the action of said spring and latching thehood in closed position. I

8. In a hood control device for use in connection with a hood structure having relatively movable upper and lower members, said members being provided Within the hood structure with plates adapted to be latched together, a safety catch member for limiting the opening movement of the upper hood member mounted within said upper member and provided with a portion projectible out of the upper portion of said upper member by means of which said safety catch member can be manipulated from the exterior of the hood, and a latching part movably mounted on the lower plate with which said safety catch member cooperates.

v9. Ina h d c nt ol d v e o use i nection with a ,hood structure having a lower casing part, a l-iftable hood, and plates carried by the casing part and hood respectively, the hood plate rr ieat i s under p tion a dep n n k per, a rockingrod carried by the lower plate having a portion adap e t yer e a part o th k ep to latch the hood, and a mova le m m e a e by the o d d c e s b e m th top o the-hood co pe ating with sa ro k n o to p ovide .a sa ty catch pe m tting h ho d be lifted to -a limit de ree only.

10; I a h od control device for usejin onnecion' with a hoodstruoture havin a lower cas p rtwa ,liftable hood, and p ates a ed by the casinglpar nd h odresnec e y, the h od plate being provided at its under portion with ,a .dependin k pe a rocking ro carr e y t e lower plate having a portion ,adapted to overlie a part of the ke per to l t e ood, a pr jecting signal device,and meansassociated with the rockin rod to operate the signaldevice when the hood is released.

11. In ,a ,hood control device for usein connection with arhood structure having a lower casing part, a .li-ftable hood and plates carried by the casing ,part and hood respectively, the hood plate haying .at its ,under portion a. depending .keepe with an upwardly facing shoulder, a rocking rod carried by the lower plate having a crank-like portion adapted to overlie a part of the keeper to latch the hood, and a safety catch member carried by the hood at one side of the keeper cooperating with said crank-like portion of the rocking rod.

12. In a hood control device for motor cars in which a liftable hood member hinged at the rear carries a rigid depending keeper and in which the fixed lower part of the hood enclosure is provided with a movable detent member cooperating with said keeper to latch the hood, a depending keeper on the liftable hood member adjacent the front end thereof having a hook-shaped forwardly disposed lower portion providing an upwardly facing shoulder, a movable detent member on the lower fixed part comprising a rocking rod disposed in front of said keeper member and having an integral crank-like portion adapted to overlie said shoulder to latch the hood, a pull member operable from the interior of the car for moving said rocking rod in the hood-closing direction, an operating lever connected to said pull member adapted to be moved to an overcenter position, and a spring active to hold said lever in the over-center position.

13. In a hood control device for a hood structure having a lower casing part, a liftable hood and plates within the hood structure mounted on the casing part and hood respectively, means for latching said plates together, operating means for said last means operable only from the interior of the car, a movable signal member having a part projectible to the exterior of the hood structure, and means associated with the latching means for moving said signal member upon the release of said latching means.

14. In a hood control device for a hood structure having a lower casing part, an upper pivoted hood, and means releasable only from the interior of the car for latching the hood to the lower means associated with the engine enclosure for signaling to the station attendant the release of the latching means, and means of connection between the latching means and the signaling means whereby the latter isoperated to give a signal. v

16. In a hood control device, fixed and movable members of an engine enclosure, means releasable from a distance for latching said members together, means comprising a signal arm associated with the hood enclosure for signaling the release of the latching means, and means of connection between said latching means and said signaling means whereby said signal arm is operated.

l7. Ina hood control device, fixed and movable members of an engine enclosure, mechanism releasable from the interior of the car forlatching said members together, a combined safety catch and signal device having means to limit the separation of the fixed and movable members. and also having as a part thereof a signal element associated with the movable member adapted to be shifted to an exteriorly projecting position for giving a signal to the station attendant, and means of connection between said latching mechanism and said combined safety catch and signal device whereby the signal is given upon the release of the latch mechanism.

18. In a hood control device for motor cars in which a liftable hood carriesv a fixed depending keeper having a lower latching head and a swinging detent member is movably mounted on the lower fixed part of the engine enclosure and is adapted to overlie said latching head to latch the hood, a swinging detent member movable in a vertical plane, a spring urging said detent member toward hood-releasing position, a safety catch for the hood which is moved by said detent member when the hood is released to a position in which the safety catch cooperating directly with the detent member allows a limited lifting movement only of the hood, said catch member having manual manipulation means accessible from the exterior of the hood by means of which the catch member can be moved to releasing,

position to permit full opening of the hood, and means operable from the car interior forovercoming the action of said spring and latching the hood in closed position.

ARTHUR CLAUD-MANTLE. 

